Many devices are available today to lift, move and flip over foods. Among the most common are spatulas. Cooking tongs are also commonly found in kitchens and are used for lifting and flipping foods, particularly thicker foods such as steaks and hamburgers.
A device which offers significant improvements over both these earlier categories of food lifting and flipping devices is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,896,668, 5,813,120, 3,162,475, 4,734,984, 2,604,350, 1,202,120. The device is simply a transverse pointed hook on one end of a shaft. The opposite end of the shaft has a handle. By rotating this hook about the shaft axis, the user can pierce the food, and thereafter lift, move and/or flip the food over in a similar manner to that shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 attached hereto. FIGS. 1 to 3 attached hereto show an example of this device.
All kinds of foods may be lifted and flipped using this device including: meats, vegetables, fowl, hamburgers, fruits, breads, baked goods and much more. The device, however, has several shortcomings. First, the hook curves in only one direction. This favors right handed users to the disadvantage of left handed users or vise versa. This also means that it is easier to lift foods that are close to one side of a fry pan or other walled cooking vessel, verses foods that are close to the pan's or vessel's opposite side wall. The same is true when lifting foods from jars or other confined locations.
U.S. Design Pat. Des. 268,561 shows an artistic design improvement over earlier art with two hooks at the end of a shaft, each hook the mirror image of the other, and each hook being transverse to the shaft. FIGS. 4 to 6 attached hereto illustrate this device.
It would be helpful to have a device incorporating the ease of use and versatility of this hooked device with the versatility of a device which could be used easily by both right and left handed users as well as a device which could maneuver to pick up foods in all corners of pots and pans. Also, it might be helpful to have a device which would resist tearing of foods. Ease of construction to lower production costs would also benefit this category of device. As an example, it might reduce manufacturing costs if the device could be stamped from sheet stainless steel instead or requiring expensive welding and forming. Also, because these devices may be used near splattering hot grease and oil, as well as near burners and flame, means of protecting users from burns and getting dirty would be advantageous.